Economic impact of the increase in consignments of unregulated Turkish citrus fruits

Subject: Economic impact of the increase in consignments of unregulated Turkish citrus fruits

Thanks to the Commission’s rapid alert system for food and feed (RASFF), in January 2021 an increase was spotted in the number of citrus-fruit consignments (lemons, oranges and mandarins) from third countries, especially Turkey, that were being rejected because they exceeded the limit values for traces of plant-health products and pesticides that are illegal under EU law.

In addition to the risks to health and the environment, this also has a significant impact on Spain’s citrus industry, and for the production of lemons and pomelos in the region of Murcia, given the unfair competition resulting from the situation.

We are concerned about the serious problems occurring in the management of Turkish exports. We are also keen to see European producers’ competitiveness boosted by a ban on imports of products that fail to meet the standards established in EU law. With that in mind:

1. There has been a massive increase in imports into the EU of citrus fruits that do not meet the minimum requirements. Has the Commission estimated the economic impact that this can have?

2. What steps does the Commission intend to take to make the industry competitive again in the face of imports from third countries that fail to comply with EU legislation?

3. Does the Commission plan to take steps to temporarily suspend citrus-fruit imports from Turkey?

Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski on behalf of the European Commission (7 April 2021)

For marketing year 2019/2020, the EU-27 imported around 2.2 million tonnes of citrus fruit (1), of which 260 thousand tonnes from Turkey.

This corresponds to legally imported citrus fruits which are required to respect relevant EC laws and requirements including those related to plant-health and residues of plant protection products. The Commission follows, on a regular basis, the evolution of the citrus market (2).

The citrus market in the EU is characterised by high level of domestic consumption as well as significant intra-EU trade flows. On top of national strategies, there are EU tools at the disposal of EU producers to become even more competitive on the EU market as well as abroad such as promotion programmes (3) and the market-management scheme through the set-up of producers organisations and operational programmes.

Currently, consignments of oranges, mandarins, clementines, wilkings and similar citrus hybrids from Turkey are listed in Annex I to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 (4), according to which they are subject to an increased level of official controls upon their entry into the EU. The Commission keeps these control measures regarding citrus fruit imported from Turkey under review in the light of available information on control results and on measures taken by the Turkish authorities to ensure compliance of exported consignments with EU legislation.

⋅1∙ Citrus fruit includes grapefruit, oranges, lemons, mandarins, clementine, lime and other citrus. Source:

https://agridata.ec.europa.eu/extensions/DashboardCitrus/CitrusTrade.html

⋅2∙ Fruit and vegetables market observatory: https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/farming/facts-and-figures/markets/overviews/market-observatories/fruit-

and-vegetables_en.

⋅3∙ For 2021, the total envelope for fruits and vegetables sector has been increased to around EUR 19 million.

⋅4∙ Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 of 22 October 2019 on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the

entry into the Union of certain goods from third countries implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/625 and (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 277, 29.10.2019, p. 89).